Liquid fuel stove



April s, 1941.

D. H. LAPOINT:

LIQUID FUEL STOVE Filed Nov. l, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ilz- J INVENTOR ATTORN EY April 8:, 1.941. D. H. LAPolNT-E LIQUID FUEL STOVE April 8, 1941.

D. H. LAPOINTE LIQUID FUEL sTovE Filed Nov. 1, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 L ATTORNEY D. H. LAFOINTE LIQUID FUEL sTovE Filed Nov. 1, 1937 April 8, 1941.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR gba-4, 7V. ffm BY 4 /M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1941 annu LIQUID FUEL STOVE Donald H. Lapointe, Meriden, Conn., assigner to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 1, 1937, Serial No. 172,122

17 Claims. `(Cl. 15S-42.1)

The present invention relates to liquid fuel stoves, and is more particularly directed toward liquid fuel stoves having flame snufiing means acting independently of the turning down of the wick customarily employed for manually extinguishing the flame.

The present invention contemplates liquid fuel stoves of the forced draft type having means effective on interruption of the current supply for snuifing out the flame. The forced draft is most conveniently had by employing an electric motor which is started before lighting the burner (or burners), and which is normally manually turned ofi when the last burner of the stove is extinguished. Owing to the possibility of an inter-` ruption of the current supply, by failure of the power supply in the line or the accidental disconnection of the stove from the house wires, there may be an unintentional or accidental loss of draft while the fuel is ignited on the wick. There would be a failure of adequate air supply for proper combustion and the burner would smoke.

According to the present invention, the stove is provided with means which acts in response to a l the switch is manually operated. This mechanism preferably includes a releasable latch which i keeps the` parts in normal position until there is a failure of current supply while the motor is running. Upon such failure the latch is tripped and the flame suffed out without any need for manually controlling the wick.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, several embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings iting the same.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of two burner oil stove;

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken from the left of Figure 1 with the parts in position for operation of the burner;

l0 are illustrative of the invention rather than lim- Figure 5 is a front elevational View of the stove of Figures 1 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the air chest for a two burner stove;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional View through the burner and air chest,` the wick tube being raised;

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram; and

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views'through modified forms of construction.

A conventional oil stove frame is indicated in dotted lines at 2l), the griddle openings being shown at 2l. An air chest 22 is supported from the end walls 'of the frame 20 by means of brackets, indicated at 23 and 24. An electric motor operated fan 25 is mounted below the center of the air chest 22, the motor being carried in a housing 26 which is open at the bottom to admit air. The top of the air chest is provided with apertures 2l, each adapted to receive the outer collar 28 and the wick tube 29 of a burner.

The air chest is provided with brackets 3B which carry wire members 3| arranged in pairs, and each pair of wire members supports a fixed collar 32 into which the movable collar 28 eX- tends, as illustrated in Figure 7. The fixed collar carries a snufng ring 33, and a refractory bafile 33a.

The movable collars 23 are secured to a strap or yoke 33 whose rear ends 34 are pivoted on a rod indicated at 35. This rod is supported by brackets 3S extending rearwardly from the bettom of the air chest. The upper rear part of the air chest 32 is provided with a pivotal mounting 31 for a forwardly extending lever 33. This lever is guided in a slit element 39 and normally rests on top of the air chest, as shown in Figure 2. 1t can, however, be raised up so as to engage the lower edge of the strap 33 and elevate the parts carried by the strap into an elevated position, which is shown in Figure 2. They are held in this position by an L-shaped crank member all) pivoted at 4| and weighted at the rear.

When the parts are in elevated position, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, air will be blown from the air chest up through the interior of the wick tube and the flame spreader, indicated at t2, up through the space between the wick tube and the telescoping collars, so as to direct the air onto the upper edge of the wick 43 to maintain combustion.

The motor for operating the fan is diagrammatically shown in Figure 8 at 44. It is in parallel with coil 45 of a solenoid 416, and current supply to the motor and the solenoid is controlled by a switch 4l. The solenoid is provided with a movable armature or core 48 disposed above the lever 38. The knob or handle 49 for operating the switch is designed to co-operate with a plunger 50 so as to press the plunger to the left, as indicated in Figure 2, and bring its rear end against a retainer member 5| pivoted at 52 and hold it in the position shown in Figure 2.

When the switch is thrown to the open position, as indicated in Figure 3, the weight of the retainer 5I causes it to swing to the Vertical position, so that its lower end 53 passes underneath the armature 48, thereby retaining the armature in raised position when the current is turned off manually by the switch 49. It will thus be seen that in the ordinary operation of the stove the turning on and oiT of the current by the switch does not eiect the unlatching of the burner.

Should there be a failure of current supply while the switch is in closed position, the solenoid will be deenergized and the coil will release the armature 4S, so that it can drop down to the position shown in Figure 4. When it drops the tail 48 of the armature will strike the forwardly extending portion 54 of the latch 40 and shift it to position to release the parts supported by it, and these parts will fall to the position shown in Figure 4. This dropping of the movable parts will bring the bottom of the wick tube and the collar 28 down against the felt disk 55 carried in the air chest, and will cut off the natural draft which would pass up through the burner. It will also lower the collar 28, the wick tube and iiame spreader from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 4, so that the wick is inside the snuing ring 33, whereupon the flame is quickly and effectively `snuifed out without smoke.

In addition to snufing out the llame, the release of the latched parts effects an opening of the switch. This is accomplished by an arm 58 which has a lost motion pin and slot connection 5'! with a rod 58 connected to the switch operating handle 49. The switch will therefore be optened and will remain open until manually rese To relatch the parts in normal position, the lever 38 is brought up against the strap 33' and then all the parts carried thereby raised. The raising of the lever 3S will also bring about a raising of the armature 48 to the upper position, whereupon the retainer 5I will drop in underneath the armature and hold it in position until the switch is subsequently closed, whereupon it Will beheld in position electrically.

Figure 6 diagrammatically illustrates an arrangement of air chest for a two burner stove. Here the output of the fan is divided in two equal parts by partitions 59, 59a, so that half the air is blown to the burner at the right and half the air to the burner at the left. Where the stove is to have a different number of burners each burner can be supplied with the same amount of air as goes to the other burner by arranging the requisite number of partitions, so as to divide up the output in accordance with the number of burners to be supplied.

In the arrangement shown it is apparent that while the motor is operating a blast of air is passed up through the burners irrespective of whether or not the fuel is being burnt. This makes it possible to operate either or both burners at will. The flame on each burner can be turned up or down by the usual burner control mechanism, and the entire stove operated in the same way as the ordinary oil stove relying on a chimney for producing draft, the only additional manipulation necessary being to turn on the electric switch when one desires to start the stove, and to turn it o when both burners are extinguished.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 9, the air chest is fixed, a fragment of the upper wall is indicated at 60 and a fragment of the bottom wall at 6l. The upper wall is apertured, as indicated, and supports a Xed collar or shell 62, which extends down into the air chest, if desired. The collar 62 supports a wick tube 63 in the usual manner, the bottom of the wick tube being even with the bottom of the collar. The Wick tube carries a flame spreader 84, as usual.

The bottom Wall 6I of the air chest is apertured, as indicated at 65, to accommodate a plunger member 66. The plunger member is urged upwardly in any convenient manner, as, for example, by'theA spring 61 connecting the plunger and a bridge member 88 secured to the wick tube 63. The plunger 66 is connected by rods 69 with a snuing ring 'Hl similar to the ring 33. The plunger 66 is adapted to be latched in the full line position by a reciprocable rod 1| urged to the right by a spring 12. The left end of the rod 'Il is connected to a bell-crank 13, pivoted at 14, and provided with an arm 'I5 underneath the armature 4S. When the armature is dropped, as above described, the bell-crank and rod are shifted to release the plunger 66, and it is brought up against the bottom of the collar 62 and wick tube 83, and raises the snufng ring 10 up about the upper edge of the wick.

Plunger 68 is reset to elevated position by a lever 'I6 pivoted at 1T and connected to the plunger 66 by a link 18. The other end of the lever 19 is adapted to lift the armature.

The plurality of latch release mechanisms and burners may be associated with a single armature, as shown in Figure 9, it being necessary, however, to provide separate resetting mechanism for each burner.

In the arrangement shown in Figure l0, the air chest is bodily movable and the shell 8l and Wick tube 82 are carried from a Xed support 83. The air chest is held down in a lower position by a latch, indicated at 84, and is urged up by a spring 85. The latch 84 is pivoted at 86, and has an extension 81 under the armature 48. The air chest is connected by rods 88 to a snuing ring 89 similar to the snufdng rings above described. For simplicity Figure 10 omits mechanism for resetting the air chest in latched position.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 9 and 10 it is obvious that the release of the armature 48 will effect a release'of the latched mechanism and effect a relative movement of the parts` whereby the snuing ring is brought up around the wick and the air supply is cut off at the bottom of the wick tube and collar.

'I'he latched mechanisms herein shown for use with forced draft stoves and acting in response to cessation of current may be adapted for use with chimney draft stoves where it is desired to eiect a snung action with a remote controlled latch release. y

It is obvious that Ithe invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within the scope of the claims and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with' respect thereto.

Whatis claimed is:

1. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a. motor' operated blower for blowing air to the burner to maintain combustion under forced draft, and means responsive to the failure of current supply to the motor for snuffing out the burner flame.

2. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a motor operated blower for blowing air to the burner to maintain combustion under forced` draft, a manually operable motor control` switch for starting and stopping the motor, and means responsive to the failure of current supply when the switch is closed forl snufiing out the burner flame.

3. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a motor operated blower for blowing air to the burner to maintain combustion under forced draft, a manually operable motor control switch for starting and stopping the motor, means responsive to the failure of current supply when the switch is closed for snufiing out the burner flame, and means interconnected with the switch for rendering the snufling means non-functioning when the switch is actuated to open circuit position.

4. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a motor operated blower, a

conduit for conducting air from the blower to the burner to maintain combustion under forced draft, and means responsive to the cessation of current supply to the motor for closing the conduit and effecting a snufiing out of the burner flame.

5. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a motor operated blower, a conduit for conducting air from the blower to the burner tol maintain combustion under forced draft, a manually operable motor control switch for starting and stopping the motor, means responsive to the cessation of current supply to the motor for closing the conduit' and effecting a snufling out of the burner name, and means interconnected with the switch for rendering the conduit closing means non-functioning when the switch is actuated to open position.

6. A liquid fuel stove having a burner having a wick and wick tube, a conduit extending downwardly from the burner and into which the wick tube extends, an electric motor, a motor opera-ted blower for producing a forced draft in said conduit, the conduit being normally open through the blower to the outside atmosphere so that there will be a natural draft to continue fuel combustion on the wick, and means for closing the conduit on cessation of current supply to the motor so that the flame is extinguished.

7. A liquid fuel stove comprising an air chest, an electric motor, a motor operated blower to force air into the air chest, a wick tube and a concentric collar to receive air from the air chest and conduct it to the top of the wick tube, a wick in the wick tube, means for mounting the wick tube and collar and the air chest for movement relative to one another so that the air passages may be open or closed, means to latch said parts in position to keep the air passages open, means acting upon the release of the latch means for shifting the movable parts to position to close the air passages, and an electromagnetically operated latch release responsive to the cessation of current supply for the motor whereby the air supply is cut off and the flame snuifed.

8. A liquid fuel stove comprising a relatively fixed air chest having an upwardly opening aperture, an electric motor, a motor operated blower to force air into the air chest, a relatively xed collar above the aperture in. the air chest, a vertically movable collar extending up through the aperture in the air chest and telescoping with the nxed collar, a wick tube spaced inside, secured to the movable collar and extending into the air chest, a wick in the wick tube, a flame spreader carried by the wick tube, means to latch the movable collar and wick tube in an elevated position to permit air to pass from the air chest into the tube and the space between the tube and collar, and means to release the latch upon cessation of current to the motor whereby the latched parts are allowed to drop into engagement with the bottom of the air chest to withdraw the wick tube into the fixed collar and stopthe flow of air to the wick.

9. In combination, a relatively fixed air chest and burner collar, a vertically movable burner having a wick tube extending into the air chest and .a concentric collar extending from the air chest to the fixed collar, the bottom of the wick tube and movable collar being normally spaced above the bottom wall of the air chest, a latch holding the tube and collar elevated, a blower for supplying air under pressure to the air chest, a blower motor, a switch for opening and closing the motor circuit, and an electromagnetic latch release acting upon cessation of current when the switch is in closed position to release the latch and allow the tube and collar to drop into engagement with the bottom of the air chest to withdraw the wick tube into the fixed collar and sten the flow of air to the wick.

10. In combination, a relatively fixed air chest and burner collar, la vertically movable burner having a wick tube extending into the air chest and a concentric collar extending from the air chest to the fixed collar, the bottom of the wick tube and movable collar being normally spaced above the bottom wall of the air chest, a latch holding the tube and collar elevated, a blower for supplying air under pressure to the air chest, a blower motor, a switch for opening and closing the motor circuit, a solenoid coil in parallel with the motor, a solenoid controlled, latch releasing armature, a switch operated armature retainer for mechanically holding the armature away from the latch when the switch is open and neffective when the switch is closed, whereby upon cessation of current when the switch is in closed position the latch is released to allow the tube and collar to drop into engagement with the bottom of the air chest to withdraw the wick tube into the fixed collar and stop the flow of air to the wick.

11. A liquid fuel stove comprising a burner, an electric motor, a motor operated blower for blowing air to the burner to maintain combustion under forced draft, a manually operable control switch for starting and stopping the motor, means for latching the burner in position to receive the air from the blower and for shifting it to a position to cut olf communication with the blower wheny the latch is released, and an electromagnetically operated latch release acting upon` cessation of current and only when the switch is in` closed position, whereby the iiame may be snuffed out when the current is interrupted ahead of the switch.

12. A liquid fuel burner comprising an air chest, an electric motor, a motor operated blower to force air into the air chest, a wick tube and wick,

a concentric collar secured to the Wick tube, the tube and collar extending into the air chest and having their lower ends normally spaced from the bottom of the air chest to admit air to pass up to the top of the wick, releasable latch means for holding the said parts in said spaced relation, and means acting upon the release of the latch for effecting relative movement of the bottom of the air chest and the wick tube and collar to effect a closing off of the air passage into the tube and collar.

13. A liquid fuel burner such as claimed in claim l2, having electromagnetically operable latch releasing means acting in response to the cessation of current supply to the motor.

14. A liquid fuel burner such as claimed in claim 12, having a motor control switch, and electromagetic latch releasing means acting in response to the cessation of current supply to the motor and only when the switch is in closed position.

15. A liquid fuel burner such as claimed in claim 12, having a snufng ring which slidably receives the upper part of the Wick tube and having a fixed relation With the bottom of the air chest.

16. A liquid fuel burner such as claimed in claim 12, having a snufling ring which slidably receives the upper part of the wick tube and having a fixed relation with the bottom of the air chest, and wherein the ring and air chest are stationary and the Wick tube and collar are movable.

17. A liquid fuel burner such as claimed in claim 12, having a snufng ring which slidably receives the upper part of the Wick tube and having a fixed relation With the bottom of the air chest, and wherein the Wick tube and collar are stationary and the ring and air chest bottom are movable.

DONALD H. LAPOINTE. 

